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MP seeks fair Climate Change

The MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, Mark Lazarowicz, wants to improve climate change management and energy efficiency in the UK.

At the moment the UK is falling short of the climate change targets set in the 1997 Kyoto Protocol and the British Government's pledge to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 20% by 2012.

Labour backbencher Mr Lazarowicz thinks there should be an annual report on greenhouse gas emissions and that people should be encouraged to use sustainable energy sources - especially via their own microgeneration units.

The MP has recently helped to pass ‘The Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Bill’. This Private Members Bill, promoted by Mr Lazarowicz, Labour/Co-op MP for Edinburgh North & Leith, represents a significant boost to microgeneration and to renewable energy generally.

He said: “This Bill will give a big boost to householders and local groups who want to install renewable energy in their own houses and communities. Small scale renewable energy - microgeneration - can make a significant contribution to the UK's energy needs. It is clear, from the thousands of people who have contacted me during the course of this Bill, that this technology has captured the public's interest. It is now up to industry, local authorities and central government to respond to the public demand”.

The Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Bill is designed to encourage measures to combat climate change on a UK level, encourage microgeneration, energy efficiency, renewable heat and certain other renewable energy sources and to alleviate fuel poverty.

Microgeneration means the generation of energy (heat or electricity) by individual householders or by small groups of householders and communities. It can take various forms, including micro-wind, fuel cells, and photovoltaics (solar panels).

A Government amendment introduced at Committee stage will cap transmission charges for renewable electricity produced in the Scottish islands which will help to keep electricity production costs down and encourage wind and wave power in Scotland.

The Bill was backed by all the major environmental and fuel poverty NGOs and all the relevant trade associations, acting through the Sustainable Energy Partnership.